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Regional Overview |
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The Stephenville-Port aux Basques Rural Secretariat region encompasses the Stephenville, Bay St. George South and Port au Port Peninsula areas extending to Codroy Valley and Port aux Basques area in the south. It also includes communities along the south coast from Isle aux Morts and extending as far east as the community of Francois.
The region consists of approximately 18,000 square kilometers and based on 2001 census data, the population was 33,000. The region has a total of 69 communities with only one community having a population of more than 7,000 (Stephenville) and one with more than 4,000 (Channel-Port aux Basques). Over 14,300 or 43% of the region’s population live in communities with less than 1000 people.
In 2004 there were a total of 890 businesses in the region. Employment in all industries topped 13,000 and the top three industries by employment are Retail Trade, Agriculture / Fishing / Forestry / Hunting and Health Care and Social Assistance.
In 2005, following an open nomination process, a Regional Council was established consisting of 14 individuals with varying backgrounds and interest from larger and smaller communities throughout the region.
The Regional Council members met for the first time in October, 2005 and have held six subsequent meetings to date. The work of council is being focused by asking the following three questions: What will your region look like in 15 years? What do you want it to look like? What will be required from a policy perspective to bridge the gap? The Council is supported by a Regional Partnership Planner, Sam Organ and the regional office is co-located with other various government departments and/or organizations at the W. E. Cormack Center in Stephenville.
The Stephenville – Port aux Basques region, like other regions, faces challenges (ie. youth retention, fishery crisis, etc.); however, there is an abundance of strengths and opportunities upon which to build. Having a presence of Aboriginal and Francophone cultures, Stephenville Theatre Festival, Art Studios, and other heritage/cultural facilities in the region bodes well for future cultural development in the region. In addition, all these assets contribute immensely to building a strong and vibrant tourism industry in the region. The region is the gateway to the province for vehicular traffic vis-ŕ-vis the Marine Atlantic Gulf Ferries in the Gateway Town of Channel-Port aux Basques. Post Secondary Education is strong in the region: there are several campuses of the College of the North Atlantic including its Headquarters, a Private College, and the Safety and Emergency Response Training (SERT) Center of the Marine Institute. As a result, there is an impressive number of training programs available in the region. This is a very important and attractive asset for existing businesses, new business start-ups, business attraction, and business expansion. The fishery still continues to be an important sector for the region; and with the right strategy for recovery and management, it will continue to be in the future. The region has a strong history in the agriculture sector with some of the richest sources of soil in the province. It also has some diversity in the sector that includes cranberries, potential for herb and small fruit development, and the meat industry. The Stephenville – Port aux Basques region is also home to one of the largest dairy farms in the country which has the capacity to expand itself into the secondary production of yogurts and cheeses. This is indicative of the enormous potential for growth and expansion in the agricultural sector in the region. There is considerable activity taking place in the region already with regard to natural resources; however, there is ongoing exploration for more minerals as well as onshore oil in the region. In addition, the region has an abundance of key infrastructures in the region such as a roads network, port facilities, marine infrastructure, airport, education and training facilities, and, health care facilities.
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Council
